Courses in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Management (RPTM), Education (SciEd), Kinesiology (KINES), Forestry (FOR), and Leisure Studies (LE ST) cover Outdoor Education, Environmental Interpretation, Adventure Education. In the spring, students interested in these subjects can take the Shaver's Creek Block Semester.

Go to the Penn State schedule of courses to register for the courses below. Please note: some courses have registration controls and may require acceptance by the instructor. If you do not find a course listed in the schedule of courses, please contact us at 814-863-2000.

SUMMER Courses

Outdoor Pursuits, RPTM 330, 3 credits
Review the philosophy, history, and current practices in adventure programming. Activities include rock climbing, canoeing, high ropes course, and four days of backpacking.

SUMMER* Courses for Incoming Freshmen

ORION, KINES 089, 2 credits (*applied as two fall semester credits)
ORION provides incoming Penn State students with the opportunity to engage in a fun, challenging outdoor experience. Incoming students meet and make new friends. Students learn outdoor skills that focus on the "Leave No Trace" philosophy. Students set goals for their first year at Penn State. This includes four days and three nights of backpacking and an additional adventure: rock climbing, high ropes course, or canoeing.

Urban Service Experience, RPTM 297C, 2 credits (*applied as two fall semester credits)
Urban Service Experience (USE)  is a precollege community-building experience. The USE program enables incoming students to create friendships as they work together toward a common goal. Student groups will travel to Philadelphia or Pittsburgh and learn more about that community through service projects in an urban environment.

FALL Courses

(See also "Year Round Course" listings below for RPTM and KINES courses)

Teambuilding Facilitation, RPTM 230, 3 credits
Learn to lead and facilitate teambuilding activities. Topics include leadership, group process, and group dynamics.

Outdoor School, SciEd or RPTM 297A or D, 2 credits
Outdoor School is a residential outdoor education experience for upper-elementary school children and their teachers. Penn State students can earn credit by serving as cabin counselors or instructors and providing leadership during the program. Also offered in the spring semester.

Interpreting Halloween to Children, RPTM 297B, 1 credit
Learn to interpret the natural origins of Halloween to visitors attending the annual Shaver's Creek Children's Halloween Trail and Festival—an interactive family event.

First Year Seminar, RPTM 297S, 2 credits

Principles of Environmental Interpretation, RPTM 325, 3 credits  
Forge a connection between the interests of an audience and the meaning inherent in our natural resources. Use interpretive techniques and short presentations in such programs as the Children's Halloween Trail in October.
* This is a prerequisite for the Spring Block Semester.

Cultural History Interpretation, RPTM 327 (only in odd-numbered years), 3 credits
This course intends to provide students with an understanding of central Pennsylvania's cultural resources and how to effectively interpret these resources through interactive programs and experiences. Students apply and practice principles that help create effective outdoor programming.

Environmental Education: Methods and Materials, RPTM or AEE 430, 3 credits (every spring and even-numbered fall)
Examine, experience, and evaluate environmental education methods currently used in the field.

Adventure-Based Programming and Administration, RPTM 440, 3 credits
This course is designed to equip students with a variety of outdoor program planning methodologies and skills. Emphasis is on planning, organization, implementation, and evaluation of outdoor experiential education programs. Outdoor topics, theories, and systems will be explored to facilitate the administration of quality adventure-based programs.

National Association for Interpretation Certified Interpretive Guide, RPTM 498C, 2 credits
Provides overview of the environmental interpretation field with special emphasis in understanding and applying principles inherent in effective programs and presentations. Provides information about careers in interpretive and complete certification as interpretive guides through NAI.

World Views, Sustainability, and Environmental Education, LE ST 597D, 3 credits
Teaching the fundamental principles of a sustainable future has become one of the central precepts of environmental education and interpretation. Two central questions are addressed for either EE or EI. How does an individual's world-view (philosophy) have an impact on his or her interpretations of and attitude towards sustainability and his or her subsequent behavior? How can communicative/educational strategies be designed to best accommodate and make use of such world-views?

SPRING Courses 2009

First Aid, CPR, and AED Training, KINES 013, 1 credit (Call 863-2000 for dates)
Course applies as a General Health requirement. Taught from 6:00-10:00 p.m. at Shaver's Creek.

Teambuilding Facilitation, RPTM 230, 3 credits
Learn to lead and facilitate teambuilding activities. Topics include leadership, group process, and group dynamics.

Outdoor School, RPTM or SciEd 297A or D, 2 credits
Outdoor School is an environmental education experience for teachers, counselors, and fifth-grade children. The 297A section is for students who will be trained in leading and supervising the campers. The 297D section is for instructors who will lead the counselors and learning groups.

Interpreting Maple Sugaring to Families, RPTM 297G, 1 credit
Learn the process of maple sugaring and how to interpret this natural history process to the general public through an interactive, community-based festival—the Maple Harvest Festival (in March).

Jump Start, RPTM 297S, 2 credits

Natural History Interpretation, RPTM 326, 3 credits
Learn the basics of identifying birds, trees, wildflowers, and more. Learn to read the natural landscape and tell the story of the ecology of the Eastern Forest.

Environmental Education: Methods and Materials, RPTM 430, 3 credits
Examine, experience, and evaluate environmental education methods currently used in the field.

Outdoor and Experiential Education, RPTM 497E, 1–3 credits
Gain hands-on experience dealing with planning, implementation, and evaluation of various types of youth leadership programs. Shaver's Creek youth programs will serve as the laboratory and include Guided Nature Center Visits and Discovery Walks for preschool to high school classes, Boy Scout, Girl Scout, 4-H, and FFA programs.

Ecological Investigation, RPTM 497F, 1 credit
Independent Study for present and future environmental educators. Learn more about research techniques used in field ecology research and become more proficient in principles of place-based education.

State and National Curriculum, RPTM 497G, 1 credit
You or your group will learn the most current environmental education practices for school day programs. Choose one of these highly acclaimed curricula: Project Wild–Wildlife; Pennsylvania Songbirds; Pennsylvania Reptiles and Amphibians; Keystone Aquatic Resource Education–Watershed Education; Project Learning Tree: Forests; Project Food, Land, and People: Agriculture; and Nutrition, or Facing the Future–Sustainability.

Intro to Search and Rescue: Rocky Mountain Expedition, RPTM 498A, 1 credit, and KINES 093, 1.5 credits (2.5 total)
In Colorado! While in Colorado during spring break, learn backcountry search, response, and rescue theory and techniques in the field and classroom, based on Mountain Rescue Association pro­tocols used by Colorado's Grand County Search and Rescue. Includes observing actual training/missions by experienced SAR teams.

Wilderness First Responder ("Woofer") Certification, RPTM 498B, 3 credits (Call 863-2000 for dates)
The Wilderness First Responder curriculum uses the principles of long-term care, improvised resources, and varying environmental conditions as the framework for learning. This certification course meets DOT National Standards for First Responder with additional protocols for ex­tended-care situations. Upon successful completion, students receive a SOLO Wilderness First Responder card and an American Heart Association Adult Heartsaver CPR card, or equivalent.

National Association for Interpretation Certified Interpretive Guide, RPTM 498C, 1–3 credits
Provides overview of the environmental interpretation field with special emphasis in understanding and applying principles inherent in effective programs and presentations. Provides information about careers in interpretive and complete certification as interpretive guides through NAI.

SPRING Block Semester (offered in 2009)

The following seven courses are taught as one unit.
(*Note: Courses marked with an asterisk, SciEd/RPTM 297 and RPTM 430 may be taken separately from the block)

Teambuilding Facilitation, RPTM 230, 3 credits
Learn to lead and facilitate teambuilding activities. Topics include leadership, group process, and group dynamics.

*Outdoor School, SciEd or RPTM 297A or D, 2 credits
Outdoor School is a residential outdoor education experience for upper-elementary school children and their teachers. Penn State students can earn credit by serving as cabin counselors or instructors and providing leadership during the program.  (*Note: Students may enroll in this course separately from the block. Also offered in the fall.)

Interpreting Maple Sugaring to Families, RPTM 297G, 1 credit
Learn the process of maple sugaring and how to interpret this natural history process to the general public through an interactive, community-based festival—the Maple Harvest Festival (in March).

Natural History Interpretation, RPTM 326, 3 credits
Learn the basics of identifying birds, trees, wildflowers, and more. Learn to read the natural landscape and tell the story of the ecology of the Eastern Forest. 

Creating an Interpretive Exhibit, RPTM 425, 3 credits
Create from scratch your own interactive, interpretive exhibit for public use at Shaver's Creek.

*Environmental Education: Methods and Materials, RPTM 430 or AAE 430, 3 credits
Examine, experience, and evaluate environmental education methods currently used in the field. (*Note: Students may enroll in this course separately from the block.  Also offered in the fall.)

Discovery Trip, RPTM 497K, 3 credits
Take a two-week experiential journey through the Green Mountains of New England and Cape Cod to visit and explore exemplary outdoor education centers, natural history museums, adventure education centers, and national parks.

YEAR-ROUND RPTM COURSES

Outdoor and Experiential Education, RPTM 497E, 1–3 credits
Gain hands-on experience dealing with planning, implementation, and evaluation of various types of youth leadership programs. Shaver's Creek youth programs will serve as the laboratory and include Guided Nature Center Visits and Discovery Walks for preschool to high school classes, Boy Scout, Girl Scout, 4-H, and FFA programs.

Ecological Investigation, RPTM 497F, 1 credit
Independent Study for present and future environmental educators. Learn more about research techniques used in field ecology research and become more proficient in principles of place-based education.

State and National Curriculum, RPTM 497, 1 credit
You or your group will learn the most current environmental education practices for school day programs. Choose one of these highly acclaimed curricula: Project WILD-Wildlife, PA Songbirds, PA Reptiles and Amphibians, Keystone Aquatic Resource Education-Watershed Education, Project Learning Tree: Forests, Project Food, Land, and People: Agriculture and Nutrition, or Facing the Future-Sustainability.

Independent Study, RPTM 496 or LE ST 597D, 1–6 credits
Work with your adviser to create your own course of study.

Go to the Penn State schedule of courses to register for the courses below. Please note: some courses have registration controls and may require acceptance by the instructor. If you do not find a course listed in the schedule of courses, please contact us at 814-863-2000.

Other Student Opportunities

Work/Study—Grad and Undergrad Positions
Qualified candidates can help with educational programming, teambuilding, grounds projects, and animal care, while earning money at Shaver's Creek.

Internships
People from around the world travel to Shaver's Creek to be a part of the unique internship program. An internship at Shaver's Creek is an excellent springboard to a career in cultural/natural history and environmental education professions. Some interns use the experience for college credit or as their field practicum.

Service Opportunities
Many Penn State and community groups donate time and labor to help with service projects at Shaver's Creek. Call to discover how you or your group can be a part of the great things that happen at Shaver's Creek.

Teambuilding
Shaver's Creek's customized teambuilding programs enable groups of all ages and abilities to learn about one another, build stronger teams, and enhance group performance.

Shaver's Creek Environmental Center is Penn State's field laboratory for students and researchers of environmental education. This not-for-profit, membership-supported Outreach unit serves more than 100,000 people each year. The center includes hands-on exhibits and a Raptor Center with twenty birds-of-prey. At the center, you will also find live reptiles and amphibians, gardens, trails, meeting rooms, classrooms, and facilities where you can practice and study environmental issues and education.